Laura Bush talks of 'heartbreak and healing'

DALLAS (AP) - Former first lady Laura Bush says the George W. Bush Presidential Center is meant as much for U.S. military personnel and others as it is for her husband.

In remarks Thursday morning to some 10,000 people who gathered for the dedication of the center, Bush said the presidency is represented by the important roles played by tens of thousands of military personnel.

She also thanked many in the Bush administration who worked behind the scenes to forward U.S. policy.

She talked of moments that defined her husband's presidency, including the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. She described the aftermath as a "long season of heartbreak and healing."

The center includes the presidential library and museum along with the 43rd president's policy institute. The center opens to the public May 1.

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